Category: 5
Result: Off the back

My legs felt dead during warm-up, so I knew the race would be tough.

From the start I clip in and start leading out the pack towards the finish line. I see a photographer take a picture with me in the front and a couple of riders single file behind me. I felt content to let someone else go up in front, but no one wanted to.

When the gradual climb started, a couple of riders went up front. Then a couple of more riders went up front. This kept repeating until I found myself dangling off the back and getting dropped before the "easy" climb. I look back and there is no one in sight, I was probably first to get dropped. But luckily several riders didn't get to the start line in time and passes me so I sucked on their wheel to regroup with several other riders.

There was one rider who worked with me the whole time and we dropped one rider, passed a few, then caught up to another rider during the second lap. Going up the wall had my quads cramping a bit, so I tried to get every last milligram of gels that I had.

About 2 miles to finish, I hit a bump on a chicane and my left calf cramps so bad that I had to take it out and pedal with only my right foot during the straight besides the barracks. Overall, a disappointing race for me because I got dropped in a nutshell. And I still can't find that pic of me in the front.

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